Six HPU Women’s Lacrosse Student-Athletes Earn All-Big South Honors

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Six High Point University women’s lacrosse student-athletes have earned All-Big South honors, the league office announced on Monday.

Four Panthers earned First Team All-Big South accolades. The quartet includes junior attack Allie Foard, junior midfielder Leah Pace, senior defender Katie McLaughlin and freshman midfielder Erica Perrotta. Perrotta becomes just the second freshman in Big South history to be named to the first team.

In addition, senior goalkeeper Julia Burns garnered All-Big South Second Team accolades and is now a two-time All-Big South selection in her career. Perrotta also garnered a spot on the Big South All-Freshman Team, while sophomore Samantha Brown was named to the Big South All-Academic Team.

For more information on each of HPU’s all-conference student-athletes, see the individual player capsules below.

FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG SOUTH
Allie Foard, #14, Junior, A, Severna Park, Md.
Ranks second in the conference in points per game (4.71), goals per game (3.43) and seventh in assists per game (1.29)…Leads the Panthers in points (50), goals (31) and assists (19)…Her 12 points vs. Presbyterian marked the top scoring effort of any player in the nation this season…Has posted at least two goals in 10 games and three or more points in eight contests…Also has picked up 23 ground balls in 2015.

Leah Pace, #27, Junior, M, Bel Air, Md.
Tied for the team lead in ground balls (34) and is t-2nd in draw controls (34) this season…Also ranks t-2nd on the Panthers in points (34) and is third in goals (22) and assists (12)…Started all 16 games…Has caused 14 turnovers while serving a unparalleled role in both the offensive and defensive midfields…Has tallied at least two ground balls in 10 games and two or more draw controls in nine contests…Picked up a career-high six ground balls and tallied a personal best five points vs. Longwood on April 21.

Erica Perrotta, #4, Freshman, M, Roseland, N.J.
Big South Freshman of the Week (4/21)…Sixth in the Big South with 2.14 caused turnovers per game…Ranks t-2nd on the Panthers with 34 points and is second in goals (25)…Leads the team in caused turnovers (24) and is t-2nd in draw controls (34)…Has started all 16 games as a freshman…Has posted a hat trick in three of her last five games…At least two draw controls in 11 contests.

Katie McLaughlin, #6, Senior, D, Apex, N.C.
Has started all 16 games…McLaughlin has posted 15 caused turnovers and 15 ground balls on the year…Matches up with each opponent’s primary offensive threat…Registered at least two caused turnovers in four league games.

SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG SOUTH
Julia Burns, #20, Senior, GK, Arnold, Md.
Three-time Big South Defensive Player of the Week…Second in the Big South in goals against average (8.06) and has posted a .460 save percentage while recording 8.62 saves/contest….Has played all 988:34 minutes in the cage for HPU this season…Posted a career-best 15 saves in a win over ACC foe Virginia Tech on Feb. 15…14 saves in 8-7 OT win over Winthrop…Just 15 saves away from 300 for her career…Allowed six or fewer goals in five of eight conference games.

BIG SOUTH ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Samantha Brown, #35, Sophomore, A, Basking Ridge, N.J.
Two-time Millis Scholar-Athlete…2013-14 Big South Presidential Honor Roll…Maintains a 3.76 GPA while majoring in exercise science…Sixth on the Panthers in points (24) and is fourth in assists (11)…Also has caused nine turnovers and picked up eight ground balls on the year.

FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
ATT Jenna Kasmarik, Sr., Winthrop
ATT Allie Foard, Jr., High Point
ATT Loren Day, Jr., Campbell
MF Leah Pace, Jr., High Point
MF Shannon Gallagher, Jr., Winthrop
MF Nina Dunay, R-Sr., Liberty
MF Erica Perrotta, Fr., High Point
MF Sarah Butler, Jr., Longwood
D Maddy Ciardi, Jr., Coastal Carolina
D Katie McLaughlin, Sr., High Point
D Colleen Ekert, Jr., Liberty
GK Alaina Girani, Fr., Winthrop
AL Morgan Becker, Sr., Liberty
AL Keri White, Jr., Coastal Carolina
AL Shiloh McKenzie, Jr., Longwood

SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
ATT Katy Pridemore, Fr., Liberty
ATT Sam Struss, Sr., Liberty
ATT Erica Hitch, Jr., Campbell
MF Katherine Judge, Fr., Winthrop
MF Haley Kyger, Fr., Coastal Carolina
MF Kallie Britton, Jr., Liberty
MF Monique Martin, Fr., Gardner-Webb
MF Alex Fusco, Fr., Gardner-Webb
D Hayley Krause, Jr., Winthrop
D Erin O’Hara, Soph., Campbell
D Maura Talvacchia, Soph., Presbyterian College
GK Julia Burns, Sr., High Point
AL Alyssa Blevins, Sr., Winthrop
AL Jen Cosgrove, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
AL Nyra Constant, Jr., Coastal Carolina

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-CONFERENCE
GK Jenna Stover, Soph., Coastal Carolina
ATT Katy Richardson, Jr., Presbyterian College
ATT Katie McHugh, Jr., Longwood
D Karley Barreno, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
GK Juliann Elmer, Jr., Liberty

ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Erin O’Hara, Soph., D, Campbell
Maddy Ciardi, Jr., D, Coastal Carolina
Samantha Brown, Soph., ATT, High Point
Sam Struss, Sr., ATT, Liberty
Liz Trainer, Sr., MF, Longwood
Maggie Richardson, Sr., MF/D, Presbyterian College
Logan McCarthy, Jr., MF, Winthrop

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jenna Kasmarik, Sr., ATT, Winthrop

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Maddy Ciardi, Jr., D, Coastal Carolina

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Alaina Girani, GK, Winthrop

COACH OF THE YEAR
John Sung, Winthrop

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Liz Trainer, Sr., MF, Longwood